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On market demand

With the wellness market growing at a rapid pace in India, demand for beauty and nutrition personnel is growing. Keeping the trend in mind, VLCC Institute of Beauty, Health & Management has just tied up with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to offer a course in nutrition and beauty.

Explaining the courses, Monica Bahl, National Operations Head, VLCC Institutes, said, “We have two courses — a one year diploma in Nutrition & Health Education and a six months Certificate in Cosmetology. The one year course will cost around Rs.60,000 while the 6 months course will cost around Rs.45,000. The diploma course holders will do three months internship at the VLCC centres. The certificate course in cosmetology will take care of skin, hair and make-up. The courses are more skill oriented, so 70 per cent thrust will be given to skill acquirement.” She says both the course may be pursued simultaneously. “We will be taking the first batch in July this year and the admission procedure will be as per IGNOU's criteria.”

The MOU was signed at an event held in New Delhi this week by Narinder Kumar, Business Head, Education & Group CFO, VLCC, and Uday Singh Tolia, Registrar, IGNOU. Also present on the occasion was IGNOU's vice chancellor V.N.R. Pillai. Speaking on the occasion, Pillai said, “We are confident that this tie-up of IGNOU and VLCC will help students of all segments in fetching lucrative jobs for themselves or becoming successful entrepreneurs by opening their own enterprise. Our endeavour is to always tie up with the best in the industry, and we are happy to have VLCC as our partner in this initiative.”

“The wellness market is estimated to be around Rs.11,000 crores and is growing at the rate of 35 per cent, leading to a high demand-supply gap of health and beauty professionals in this segment. I am confident that this collaboration will go a long way in creating professionals who will contribute to this growing wellness market which is facing perennial shortage of skilled resources,” said Narinder Kumar.